Shielded
by Akayla's Pierced Heart
Summary: Charles meets someone he can't read. He will do anything to prove she can trust him with her secrets. But falling in love wasn't part of the plan. Gets rated M for later. CX/OC X-Men First Class
1. Chapter 1

Charles Xavier suppressed a yawn as he wheeled himself through the east wing of the research facility. He had decided it would be a good idea to wipe the minds of the few remaining CIA agents who had been a part of the "mutant division." He knew that the government would catch on again eventually, but for now the school and students were safe. Hank was still in contact with some of his old coworkers inside the CIA's genetics research division. He had heard of a new scientist who was working on mutant DNA. Charles needed to know what this new scientist had found out. His credentials had gotten him through the front door and a little mind prodding had gotten him the rest of the way. He sent a tiny poke through the door when he reached it and knew there were three people in the small lab. He opened the door slowly and peeked in. Too many times he had accidentally barged through the door of Hank's lab and had things thrown at him.

"Professor Xavier." An old, balding man greeted him.

"Yes," Charles extended his hand but pulled back when he saw the man wore protective gloves.

"I'm Doctor Ian Brent. I was a little surprised to get your call." The man said as a younger man left the lab carrying a stack of folders. The third person, a female, stood looking through a microscope with her back to them. "I believe the person you want to speak to is my newest assistant." The female turned around and quickly tucked a stray lock of brown hair behind her ear. Green eyes flickered up and met his face for a spilt second before skittering away to stare just over his shoulder. He grinned slightly at her shyness. "Doctor Alexandra Jance meet Professor Charles Xavier." She held out her hand and forced a smile onto her small face.

As he took her hand and gently shook it he let his eyes sweep over her entire body. Her slender 5' 5'' body was clothed in a basic black skirt with matching jacket. The jacket was open revealing a lilac colored blouse. Her lab coat nearly swallowed her tiny frame and went bellow her knees. Shoulder length brown hair was pulled into a quickly assembled bun.

"Please call me Charles." He said trying to sound as charming and casual as he could. He stretched out to her mind trying to read her mood.

"Ah!" She snatched her hand back and touched her forehead. Charles immediately pulled his mind back from hers. "Sorry." She blushed furiously. "I just got this sudden pain."

"Staring all day into a microscope has been known to do that." Dr. Brent said pulling off his gloves and tossing them onto a nearby table. "Well I guess I can leave you two to talk. I'm going to lunch. I'll see you back here in an hour." He smiled and nodded to Charles before leaving.

Charles turned his attention back to the still blushing woman in front of him. He caught her staring at him and she hastily turned around and started removing the slide from the microscope.

"Dr. Brent said you wanted to discuss my research into mutated DNA strands." Her voice was all business but he could hear a nervous tremor pass through. He put his fingers up to his temple and tried to read her again. "Ah!" She cried out and her knees buckled. She gripped the table to keep herself from falling. Charles pulled back immediately. Why was this hurting her? He wasn't reading anything from her. It was like there was a force field around her head not letting him in. He tested her one more time, promising himself he would stop if he hurt her. This time she fell butt first onto the tile floor nearly howling in pain. He pushed his chair until he was right next to her.

"I'm so sorry." he exclaimed reaching to help her up.

"Why?" She looked at him as she gripped his chair with one hand and his arm with another. She pulled herself up and openly stared at him with a bewildered expression. Her chin length bangs had fallen onto her face and she tucked them back.

"Are you alright? Do you need to sit down? I can call for someone." He babbled trying to cover his mistake. It worked. She immediately started shaking her head and held up her hands.

"No please, I'm fine really." She swallowed heavily. He could tell she was still feeling some pain by the way she squinched up her face. He felt guilt roll over him. "But if you don't mind I would like to get some lunch. We can talk in the cafeteria downstairs."

"That sounds perfect." She turned and quickly put away her microscope slides. She shed her lab coat and threw it over a chair before opening the door and waiting for Charles. As he passed her he caught the subtle scent of vanilla mixed with some kind of flower. He heard the door shut and the small click clack of her shoes as she followed him. Once they reached the elevator he let her in first. For three floors the sweet scent of her perfume was all he concentrated on trying to avoid the temptation to try and read her again. They both remained silent while they gathered their trays of food. Once through the short line, Charles set his tray on his lap and was about to push himself to a table when the tray was promptly lifted out of his reach.

"Wouldn't want you dropping this. It's lasagna day." Her voice was less tense than it had been in the lab. He smiled up at her thankfully. She let him lead her to a table on the far end of the cafeteria next to the big windows that looked out onto the front entrance lawn.

"So what exactly is your interest into mutant DNA?" She asked as she settled into her chair. All business again. He was beginning to think this was some sort of defense mechanism.

"Well, Doctor, I…"

"Please, just Lexi, Professor. It's what everyone calls me."

"As long as you call me Charles." He laid on the charm again and she diverted her eyes away from his face before she nodded.

"I'm sorry, you were saying." She kept her eyes on her food while she ate and waited for him to speak.

"Well, Lexi…" He took a bite of the lasagna and was slightly impressed at how good it was. "I was hoping you could tell me what you've found in your research into the origin of mutant DNA."

"Oh." She chewed and swallowed. "I uh, I haven't been here long but at the lab back in Denver I got as far as you did at Oxford." She looked up at him. "I read your papers on mutant genes. Something tells me you may know a little more than you let on…" She sounded as if she was trying to press him for information. But he wanted to know what _she _knew.

"I suppose there are some things people just aren't ready to hear."

"Like the fact that mutated people walking among us today is a very real possibility?"

"And you know this how?" He almost reached up to put his fingers on his temple but stopped himself.

"Well mutation was bound to happen eventually. Human kind has been mutating and evolving since time began. What I'm trying to do is find out exactly _how_ it happens."

"And that brought you here?"

"This is one of the best facilities in the world. And I like New York." They ate in silence for a few minutes. Lexi kept looking at him like she wanted to ask him something but just when he thought she would speak up, she just smiled and went back to eating. Charles was more frustrated than he had been in a long time. His telepathy had almost never failed him. He needed to know if this doctor was a threat to mutant anonymity. Or was she a mutant herself? How was he supposed to find that out? He couldn't really just ask. Maybe the headaches she was getting had nothing to do with him trying to read her. He slowly moved his hand towards his head. She was looking down just now, staring at her food as she chewed and swallowed. He touched his temple and tried to gently press her mind. Her eyes squeezed shut and she dropped her fork. That was it. He wouldn't be doing that anymore. There had to be some kind of protective barrier up around her mind. And judging from her surprise at the pain, she had no idea it was there.

"Are you quite sure your alright?" Charles wheeled himself around the table until he was right next to her. She looked at him with a dazed expression.

"I don't know what's wrong with me." He knew she was telling the truth. "This has never happened before. I keep getting these… Awful pains. Like a hot knife stabbing my head." Charles backed his chair a little.

"Perhaps you should request the rest of the day off."

"I don't think a headache is gonna cut it for Ian. He'll probably just complain about how fragile women are." Charles got the impression that Ian had given this lecture before. That agitated him.

"I'm sure I can convince him it's all in the best interest." Charles smirked.

Back in the lab…

"Of course you can take the day off. Don't bother with clocking out I will make sure you get paid for the entire day. You go home and get some rest. In fact, if the headaches persist, you can take tomorrow off as well. I don't want my prized assistant feeling uncomfortable." Ian spoke with a genuine smile on his face. Lexi gaped at him. She looked at Charles who had his hand to his temple. He looked for all the world like he was trying not to burst out laughing. Lexi's eyes shot back to Ian who was still smiling.

"Um, alright. Thank you." Something in the back of her mind told her she _should_ be thanking Charles. "I'll just get my things then…" Clearly flustered, Lexi went to the back of the lab where her bag hung on a rack. She pulled the bag over her head so the strap went across her chest leaving her hands free. Charles was already waiting for her just outside the door. She was a little surprised he had stuck around.

"I can offer you a lift home if you like." His intense blue eyes looked up at her innocently. "One of my students drove me here. I'm not in any real hurry to get back to my school."

"Alright." She felt it would be rude to blatantly object even though she was slightly tempted to. Something about Charles made her nervous. Not just the fact that she found him very attractive. Though that also helped put her on edge. But cab fare wasn't cheap in New York and she did live a ways off. Taking the subway had always made her nervous. She hated being crammed in with a bunch of strangers.

As they exited the building she decided to be nice and push his chair for him. "Which way are we headed?" he pointed the way and made some careless remark about the crisp weather. Lexi loved when it was cool like this. Just cold enough for a light jacket or sweater. They reached a shiny black car and a young man, maybe only twenty quickly got out of the driver's seat.

"Lexi, meet Alex Summers." She held out her hand and greeted him. Alex helped Charles into the back of the car while he explained that they would be taking Lexi home before heading off for the school. Lexi then faced what she would call a great dilemma. Should she sit in the front or in the back with Charles. Leaving Charles by himself felt rude so she once again gave in and slid in beside him.

The backseat was quite spacious. She pulled her bag off her shoulder and set it between herself and Charles. It was then that Charles caught sight of a strange looking bracelet on her left wrist. A string of tiny macaroni shells dyed purple held together on a blue cord. It looked like something a child had made in art class. There was no wedding ring on her hand. Charles wondered who the child could be. Lexi followed his eyes to her wrist and quickly busied herself with adjusting the collar of her blouse. She gave directions to her apartment building to Alex and resigned herself to just staring out her window. But Charles was not to be ignored.

"So how long have you been in new York?" He asked causing her to spin her face around to him.

"Just a few months now."

.

"And you are from Denver?" He pressed the conversation on.

"I only lived there for a few years because of my work at the lab."

"And before that?"

"I grew up in a tiny town in Oklahoma called Bright Oak with my mom. When I was fifteen, I moved in with my father's parents who lived in Kansas. I got a scholarship to NYU to study genetics. And my first job was at the lab in Denver." Her straightforward answers left something to be desired. "What about you?" She pointed the conversation away from herself. "You run a school?"

"Yes, for… Gifted youngsters. People with special abilities who wish to study in a place where they feel comfortable."

"So you're constantly surrounded by geniuses. Must feel nice." She laughed a little.

"It does actually." He smirked at her. For some reason she needed to stop looking at him.

"Are you a genius Alex?" She called to the front of the car.

"Nope." He replied happily. "I'm a menace." Lexi's hand flew to her face to suppress the noise she knew was trying to escape. Every time she laughed hard she made a noise in her throat that was halfway between a snort and a gargle. One of her friends had once jokingly called it a snargle. Lexi found it horribly embarrassing. But the memory of that particular friend brought a smile to her face.

Charles desperately wanted to know what she was thinking. When her hand fell away from her face she smiled warmly to herself. Her eyes zoned out for a few seconds as if remembering some long forgotten thing. Her head cocked to the side and she stared at nothing and her smile widened. She let out another smaller laugh and let her eyes drift back to the passing scenery outside her window. What was she laughing at? Why did that smile make him feel so… He wished she would smile at him in that warm comfortable way. Before he even knew what he was doing, Charles already had his fingers pressed to his temple.

"Ahhhh!" The scream made Alex slam on the brakes. Luckily, he had already been stopping for a red light. Charles reached out to Lexi and put one hand on her shoulder and the other on her wrist. She let herself lean towards him.

"Are you alright?" Charles was kicking himself mentally.

"What was that?" Alex turned in his seat.

"I'm okay. I'm fine. Please, I'm sorry I just…" She turned and looked Charles in the eyes. "I guess it's a good idea I took the rest of the day off." She managed a weak smile. Charles returned the smile and Alex slowly turned back to face the road.

"Are you certain you're alright." Charles' voice was very serious and it took Lexi off guard. She pulled herself away from him. He let his hands slide off her slowly.

"Yes, I just…" She swallowed. "I just need some rest." A red blush was creeping up her neck and face. _Why is she so nervous?_ Charles had never had the urge to read someone's mind as strongly as he did right now. He watched from the corner of his eye as she smoothed back her long bangs with shaky hands. She was breathing heavily as if she's just run a marathon causing her chest to rise and fall. Chares felt guilty again. He had caused this. He'd have to be more careful around her... His mind screeched to a haut. _More careful? Does that mean you plan on seeing her again. _Yes, he answered his own question silently.


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry this is so late. I have been without net. I will try to post more when I can. Thanx for reading!

**Chapter Two**

It had been three weeks since Lexi's first meeting with Charles. Since then she had seen him ten more times. Charles had noticed that Lexi had started coming to work wearing a little makeup. Her usual messy bun was more carefully put together. His ego inflated a little at the notion that maybe she was trying to look good for him. But when he heard Ian's remarks about how she had finally cleaned up her "sloppy appearance," Charles wondered if she was just trying to get her boss to shut up.

Lexi looked forward to Charles' visits. It was the only time she was granted any kind of reprieve from Ian's condescending remarks about her "sloppy appearance," her "anti-social work ethic" (she wasn't very talkative when she worked), and her worst fault in Ian's eyes: the fact that she was "just another fragile woman." But when Charles was around, Ian's personality completely changed. He either left her alone completely, or complimented her on her work. On this particular visit Lexi was more excited than usual. Charles had just entered the lab and Ian immediately left.

"So, how is your work going today?" Chares asked as he wheeled himself to her side. She was sitting at one of the small desks with her face buried in a stack of papers. She whipped around in her chair grinning ear to ear.

"The mutant gene is carried by the father." She blurted out. "That means it doesn't even matter if your mother is a mutant. It's the recessive gene carried by the father or the grandfather that matters." Charles had suspected this for some time but he kept that to himself. Lexi seemed so enthusiastic and he didn't want to spoil it. She shifted through the papers in front of her. She pulled out a DNA diagram and showed it to him.

"Do you mind if I take this back and show it to Hank?" Chares had told Lexi that Hank McCoy was a scientist who's work he funded.

"Of course, I have copies of everything in my journal." She pointed to a large leather bound book off to the side. Charles folded the paper and slipped it into his jacket pocket. Lexi stood and weaved her way around various tables to the back counter where the microscopes were set up.

"Come look at this." She took one microscope down and set it in Charles' lap once he reached her. They had done this several time before so Charles could see the slides for himself and offer his opinion. The first few times, Lexi had been nervous about putting the slides in the microscope because of how close she had to get to Charles. But by now she was so used to being close to him that she wasn't bothered. She quickly set in the correct slide and backed away to give Charles some space. He bent forward and peered into the scope. She watched his hands as he adjusted the focus. Suddenly, she felt flush with embarrassment from staring. Her left hand rubbed the back of her neck and she made herself look away.

"That's very…" Charles brought his head up and trailed off. Lexi had her eyes on the wall to her left. Her face was red and her lips were pressed together tightly. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." She quickly let her hand drop away from her neck. "Um, what did you think of the slide?" Her eyes fell to the floor in front of her. Charles wished he knew why she had suddenly blushed.

"I was going to say it's very interesting. The cells are definitely mutant." He paused. "Where did you get this sample?" Her eyes shot up to meet his and she shifted left to right.

"I can't tell you." Charles' brows came together. "This person volunteered their blood and I can't reveal their identity."

"So you would protect a mutant?" Lexi lifted the microscope out of his lap and set it back on the counter. She put the slide into it's safety case and slid the case into her bag. "Lexi you can talk to me. I swear you can trust me. I know mutants too." She turned and looked at him, crossing her arms. "Why do you think I am so interested in this?"

"Why are you?" Her voice was serious.

"I'll tell you what." He shed his jacked and unbuttoned his shirt cuff. "Why don't you take a sample from me and find out." He rolled up his sleeve to his elbow and held his arm out to her. Lexi cocked her head to the side. "I'm completely serious."

"Okay." Lexi took his blood without saying a word. She set up a slide and quickly put it into a microscope. When she finally looked into the scope she had to fight not to gasp out loud. She stared into the scope for several seconds, almost not believing what she was looking at. The squeak from Charles' chair moving finally brought her head up. She turned and gawked at his nonchalant expression. He folded his hands in his lap and smiled.

"I guess I don't need to explain myself."

"Oh, I think you do." Lexi turned and ripped the slide out of the microscope. "What do you want me to do with this? Destroy it?"

"If you don't mind." He replied casually. Lexi chucked the slide into the hazmat box. She could hear the glass crack and break as it hit the bottom of the plastic box. She crossed her arms again and looked at him. He still had the same expression. She tried not to be mad but she felt tricked and didn't like it.

"So what can you do?" Her voice was harder than she meant it to be. "Most mutants have some kind of power. What's yours?"

"I can read minds." Her eyes went wide and her arms went slack to her sides. A deep flush quickly covered her face. "But for some reason I have never been able to access _your_ mind. You have some kind of shield around your mind and that tells me maybe you have some powers you've never told me about." Relief flooded her features. "I can also communicate with people telepathically. And I can control people with my mind."

"Well, that explains Ian's multiple personality disorder." She said mostly to herself.

"Yes, Dr. Brent does get on my nerves quite a bit. So I can't help but have a little fun at his expense." Charles chuckled. "But I have absolutely no access to you… So you never have to worry about me trying to trick you."

"How do I know you aren't tricking me now?" Again she folded her arms.

"Remember the day we first met?" She nodded. "Remember all those headaches you were getting?" She nodded again. He knew she wouldn't soon forget the blinding pain that sent her to her knees. "Every time I tried to reach your mind, your shield blocked me. But for some reason, it caused you pain."

"And you did it anyways?" She uncrossed her arms and stepped forward angrily. Her hands went to her hips. Her mouth opened to say something else but he stopped her.

"I couldn't be sure that I was the one causing you pain?" He rushed out. "I had just met you. I knew nothing about you. For all I knew you could just be a…"

"Fragile little woman." She said bitterly. Charles knew that was Ian's favorite description of her. It offended him to be compared to Ian.

"That was _not_ what I was thinking." He worked very hard to not sound as frustrated as he felt. It would not do to alienate her now. She knew what he was and he couldn't stop her from telling anyone. _She would never do that._ The annoying voice of his sub-conscience mocked him. "Listen to me please." He pushed himself forward until his feet were almost touching her legs. "The second I knew for sure that I was hurting you, I stopped. And as you know, I have never tried it again." Her eyes shifted away from him and back again. Inside he smiled triumphantly knowing he had won _that_ particular argument. "I assume that you had no idea you even had any kind of shield around you." She shook her head. "So what _can_ you do? You must have some other power you _are _aware of? Otherwise you wouldn't be so angry with me for hiding mine." Her eyes shifted. He had won again. This time he let himself smile at her. He knew he probably looked smug by the way she glared down at him.

She held out her right palm and his chair moved back a few inches. Charles flinched instinctively. He knew he hadn't touched the wheels. He suddenly felt a pull on both his shoulders and just above his waist. It was as if someone was lifting him out of his chair. At first he fought it, trying to grab the arm rests on either side of him. But his hands were forced to his sides. He shot a look at Lexi who was still standing there with one hand on her hip and the other still palm out towards him. Before he knew what was happening he was standing straight up. His body felt weightless as if there was no gravity. The sensation sent thrills through him. He could move his arms again but his feet stayed planted on the floor. Then his body wavered. He looked at Lexi again. Her face was turning red from straining to keep him held up. Her hand started to shake slightly. She lowered her palm and he fell gently back into his chair.

"Hah." The small gasp came out of him when he landed. Lexi was out of breath. She turned and slumped over the desk behind her. "You're telekinetic." He almost whispered just from the sheer surprise.

"Yeah." Her voice was breathy and she stumbled over to a chair. Charles went to her side and put a hand on her shoulder.

"How long have you known?" She faced him still heaving for air.

"Since I was little. Maybe ten or so. I almost never use it. I'm not very good at moving anything big…" Charles knew he could hear regret in her voice.

"That blood sample, was it yours?" She nodded. "Do you know anyone else like us?" She hesitated then nodded again. "Even now, you don't trust me?" She looked at him hard and sat up straight. His hand fell away from her.

"I don't trust _anyone_… Nothing personal though." She pushed her chair back and stood up. Charles didn't move as she walked away from him. She grabbed her journal and stuffed it into her bag.

"Ian is coming in here to fire you in a few minutes. I'm making him hold off until I can talk to you." She turned and faced him. Her face showed no surprise.

"He's been hinting at making staff cuts for a few days now. But don't worry about me. I've already started looking for another job. I never actually unpacked most of my apartment so re-packing won't be too traumatic." She shoved a few more folders into her bag.

"Come and work for me." She faced him again. This time he _had _caught her off guard. "At my school, you can work for me." He pushed his chair towards her. "Lexi you are brilliant and I don't want to lose you."

"Lose me?" She said it like she had no idea what he meant. In her mind she was screaming at herself to shut up. Of course he hadn't meant it like she wanted him to. Had he?

"I want you to finish your research but I want to be close to you while you work."

Again she knew he hadn't meant 'close' like she wanted him to mean it. He wanted to be a part of her work. Two minds better than one and all that garbage. That's what he really meant. Right?

Charles watched the play of emotions cross her face. _What is she thinking? Why does she look so… Disappointed?_

"Have I said something out of line?" He asked cautiously.

"No… I just… Well, it's a lot to consider. I do want to stay on the east coast so…"

"So you'll come to my school?" He sounded hopeful.

"What could I do at a school for geniuses?" She blushed again.

"When I said my school was for the _gifted, _I never meant geniuses."

"You mean they are all mutants?"

"That's why I wanted to know about your research. I needed to know one: how much you knew about mutants and two: what you where going to do with that knowledge. I cannot let your research go to waste. And I don't want you to move away."

"So you only want me for my brain?" She said jokingly.

"Well, I also enjoy your company." His voice was sincere.

"Alright then, get Ian in here." She said gathering her bag and coat.

"What for?" She smiled at him.

"I want to see the look on his face when I tell him he is a prick… And I quit." Charles grinned as he put his finger to his temple.

"I have a few choice words I'd like to add as well."

**One month later…**

It was almost midnight as Charles wheeled himself down the hall towards the room that Hank had turned into a research lab for Lexi. Hank's own private lab was actually below the mansion, accessible only by the elevator that had been installed after Charles had been pronounced paralyzed. Lexi had fallen into a routine very quickly after moving into the mansion. Her room was located on the second floor just three doors down from Charles himself. She rose at the crack of dawn and stayed in her lab until mealtimes. She had become very friendly with everyone and Charles was gad to see her pulling away from her shyness. Once a week she taught a chemistry class and she regularly volunteered to run errands in town for Charles. He knew it was her way of having some alone time away from her work.

Charles could see a light under the door as he reached the lab. It was on the same floor as their rooms but on the opposite wing. He pushed the door open and saw Lexi hunched over a table with her back to him. He called out her name but got no answer. He pushed himself closer and saw that she was actually sleeping. Her arms were curled under her head. He reached out and touched her arm. The second he made contact with her skin an image flashed through his mind. He pulled his hand back and it was gone. _What on earth…?_ He reached out and laid his hand on her arm again.

A little girl with long brown hair and green eyes was looking back at him. She couldn't have been more than ten or eleven. I took him a few seconds to realize he was looking through her eyes at her own reflection. There was a crack in the mirror. The girl was tracing designs in the mirror with her finger. Everywhere she touched, more cracks appeared. The girl smiled.

Charles pulled back his hand. He knew he had just seen one of Lexi's memories but he couldn't figure out how he had done it. He knew it wasn't just the physical contact. He had touched Lexi on her bare arms before. He had even touched her face. _Is it because she's unconscious? _He had never been around her when she was asleep before. The shield around her mind could be weaker or completely gone and he would have never known. He wanted to test this again. Careful not to wake her he placed the tips of his fingers on her arm and closed his eyes.

Pain. It was an unbearable pain. White hot burning pain shot through Charles' left arm. He willed himself not to cry out and opened his eyes. A woman was screaming at the little girl. "You witch! You devil witch!" Charles was no longer seeing through Lexi's eyes. He was standing in a small kitchen watching the scene unfold before him. "I'll teach you what happens to witches!" The woman grabbed Lexi and stretched her left arm over the stove. The gas burner was lit. Charles knew what was coming. He had seen the burn scars that covered most of Lexi's left forearm. He had never had the courage to ask about it. Lexi's screams brought him out of the memory.

Charles pressed his hands against his mouth. Lexi's own mother had burned her for using her powers. She still looked only around ten or so. She had been so young… Lexi was still hunched over the desk, eyes closed and breathing deeply. He needed to know more. He didn't know why, but he needed to see what else had happened to her. He touched her and closed his eyes again.

He was seeing from Lexi's point of view again. A man was shouting at her. His beefy arm swung around and connected with her head. She flew back and hit the floor dazed. "Mommy ain't round to protect you now…" Lexi held her hands up and tried to push the man away. In her mind Charles could hear her thoughts. She knew the man meant to rape her. She couldn't concentrate enough to use her powers to defend herself. The beating had knocked her senseless. Charles pulled out of the memory when he saw the man sliding off his belt.

He found himself in another memory. It was the day after the assault. She was in a bathroom stuffing things into a bag. She looked into the mirror. The beating she had received was spread all over her face and arms. Charles cringed inwardly when he realized she had only been fifteen at the time. She left the bathroom and went into her tiny bedroom. She grabbed another bag and quickly left. As she crossed the front room to the door she could see her mom's boyfriend, her rapist, still passed out on the floor. She opened the door.

Charles was suddenly, and very physically shoved away from Lexi. He sat up straight in his chair. She was still in her chair but very much awake. Horror washed through him as he looked at Lexi's face. Steely-death-glare-stare would be understating the look she was giving him.

"Lexi I…" His voice faltered.

"You were in my head." Her voice was low but angry.

"Yes, but I…"

"What did you see?" She demanded.

"I didn't mean…"

"Tell me what you saw!" She grabbed both of his shoulders and nearly shook him.

"I saw your mother burn your arm." He stopped himself from saying more.

"What else?" He hesitated. "What else?" She let go of him and stood up. "Did you see Colin?"

"Was that the man who raped you?" Charles' voice was just above a whisper. Lexi's eyes bulged and her mouth fell open. She shook her head. "Lexi I'm so sorry." She stepped back from him. "Who is Colin then?" She backed all the way to the door but he followed her. "Lexi you can trust me, please. Please, just trust me."

"How can I trust you when you go poking around in my head like that?" She was nearly yelling and it made him stop. "I thought you couldn't even do that to me?"

"I can't when you're awake. I just found out tonight that when you are unconscious the shield goes down. I was trying to wake you up. When I touched you, I saw a memory of yours without meaning to." He moved towards her again. She pressed her back against the door but didn't move to open it. "I promise you my intentions were not to hurt you. But when I saw that first memory… I wanted to be sure that it was real, not just my mind playing tricks on me. It was a memory of you using your power to crack a mirror. Then I saw your mother burn you. And that man beat you and…"

"And?" She took one step toward him and crossed her arms.

"You left home. That's all I saw. I swear it."

"You're lying."

"I am not." Chares was appalled. No one had ever accused him of lying so blatantly.

"I mean about the reason you went poking around in the first place. Someone like you knows the difference between your own mind and someone else's memories. Your mind playing tricks on you… Pretty poor excuse if you ask me." For a brief second his eyes wavered. That was all the confirmation Lexi needed. She turned on her heel and opened the door. Just before she stepped into the hall she looked back over her shoulder. He was still looking at her but not moving. She knew he wouldn't follow her. "Keep out of where your not wanted, Professor. You won't like what you find."

The next morning Charles sat in the kitchen at the small breakfast table staring at his coffee mug. He had no idea how long he had been staring until Sean walked in and said good morning to him. It was a Saturday, so if Sean was up it was fairly late in the morning. Charles had barely gotten any sleep. He was considering stealing away to his room for a nap but he knew it would throw off his sleep routine. He had seen Lexi come into the kitchen and grab a quick breakfast. She kept her eyes off of him even though they both knew that she knew he was there. She kept herself engaged in small talk with one of the other students about an upcoming exam before darting away, probably to her lab.

Charles had wanted to follow her. He needed to explain exactly why he had pressed into her mind the very second he knew that he could. She had been right. He did have an ulterior motive, but it probably wasn't whatever she had thought it was. And he desperately wanted to know what she thought it was. And who the bloody hell was Colin? Was he the person she thought about when she stared off into space and smiled that warm smile that made Charles melt. Did she love this person? Of course she did. Why else would she go to such lengths to protect him.

Charles slammed his fist onto the table without realizing what he was doing. Sean stopped in the middle of pouring milk into his cereal to shoot Charles a questioning look. Charles waved his hand dismissively and pushed his chair back. He left the kitchen slowly, not paying any attention to where he was going.

Lexi was in the library looking for a book that she knew Charles had. She had borrowed it once before but returned it before she had really finished it. At the time she had really only been looking for an excuse to see Charles away from her lab. Inside the lab it was all business. But outside, she could have more casual conversations. She just had trouble finding anything non-work related to talk about. So English Literature had become a topic for a few late night chats between her and Charles. Now, she really didn't care much to have a conversation with him. She just wanted to finish the book.

And there it was. Charles was definitely particular about how his library was sorted. It made finding what book you wanted quick and easy. She grabbed it from the shelf and whirled around wanting to make a hasty exit. The room had Charles all over it. The scent, the feel, it was all him. She was glad to get away from it. But as soon as she got out into the hall, Charles was there too. Only this time it wasn't just his scent. He had just rounded the corner in front of her and had his back to her. He was slowly pushing his chair, almost like he didn't know where he was going. She stayed by the open door ready to duck back in if he should turn around. He stopped his chair. Her breath stalled. Had he seen her? He slowly started pushing the chair again and sighed loudly.

Lexi chided herself for being so immature. Why should she hide from him? He had been the rude one, not her. She shut the large door loudly causing Charles to stop and whip his head around. She walked briskly, without a word. As she got near him she edged closer to the wall and passed him.

"Good morning Lexi." He called as if it were any other day.

"Morning Professor." She replied without turning to look at him. She rounded the next corner and nearly ran up the stairs to the second floor. _Yeah, that was mature._ "Shut up," she told herself.

For the next week that was how it went. When they saw each other, Lexi barely acknowledged Charles even though he would go out of his way to greet her. He was never in her lab and though Lexi was glad to be left alone, she still missed bouncing ideas off of him. It had felt good to be able to talk to someone about her work who didn't talk down to her for being a woman. But now she was almost too angry to care… _Almost._ It wasn't until Alex mentioned something to her that she realized that other people were noticing how she had distanced herself from not just Charles, but most everyone. She had been taking a walk around the grounds, something she did most evenings, when Alex found her. He had asked her if she was unhappy here. It took her a few minutes to understand why he would ask her that.

"No, Alex I'm not unhappy. I'm just tangled up in my work right now." She told him while they both meandered through the bushes near the rose garden.

"The Professor seems…" Alex trailed off. "I dunno, kinda sad lately. Not his usual self." He looked at her like he knew that she knew something.

"We did have a disagreement." She wasn't sure if she should be confiding in this very young man. But when he didn't stop her she pressed on. "He managed to get into my head when I fell asleep in the lab one night. He saw some things that I never wanted anyone to see."

"Like what?" Alex didn't expect an answer but he asked anyways.

"I didn't have the best childhood. From what I've gathered here, not a lot of mutants did. He saw some of the worst parts of it."

"I'm sure he didn't mean any harm. He wants to help people. That's why he started this place."

"That's not the point Alex. He trespassed. He knew what he was doing was wrong. He did it anyways."

"Does that really warrant the way you've been brushing him off though?" It was by far the wisest thing she had ever heard Alex say. The worst part was that she knew he had a point. They had stopped walking and were near the kitchen window. A light came on causing Lexi and Alex to turn towards the window. Charles was wheeling himself into the kitchen. He couldn't see either of them. "Look," Alex started talking again. "I know it's not my place, but… A blind person could see what's going on here." Alex walked away leaving Lexi standing there still looking at Charles rummaging through the fridge. She stepped closer to the big window and watched him pour himself a glass of wine. He left the bottle on the table beside him. His face was a mixture of boredom and something else… Guilt?

He looked up and caught her staring. His eyebrows arched in surprise. Lexi lifted her hand and waved at him, managing a half grin. He looked more surprised but waved back smiling. Then he beckoned her to him. She knew there was a patio door that led into the kitchen not far from where she was standing. She jogged to the door. It was easier to move around in the flat heel shoes that she had just bought. Before opening the door to go in she took time to run her hand through her hair that was for once not pinned back. Her long sleeve dark purple dress was a simple cut that ended just above her knees. On weekdays she dressed more business like but it was the weekend so she went more casual. She shook her head and tried to stop worrying about her appearance.

Once in the kitchen she saw that Charles had brought out a second glass. He looked up at her expectantly and smiled. She took the seat next to him and watched him pour wine into the second glass.

"I've never had wine." She was almost surprised to hear her own voice. His eyebrows came together.

"You're kidding. Never?" he pushed the glass towards her. She took a drink and grimaced slightly. "Sorry, wine is a bit of an acquired taste." He said chuckling.

"No, it's not bad, just…" She took another drink as if to prove something to herself. Her eyes squeezed shut and she smacked her lips. "Okay, yeah, that's bad." He laughed quietly as she got up and quickly set her glass in the sink. "Sorry to waste it, but yuck."

"That's quite alright. I believe there's some cola in the fridge." She opened the fridge and grabbed a can. Her eyes were downcast as she rejoined him at the table. He could tell she wanted to talk but was having some trouble. After almost a minute of silence he couldn't take it anymore. He opened his mouth to speak but she suddenly looked right at him.

"Can we…" She stopped when she saw his half open mouth. "Sorry, were you gonna say something?"

"No, no, you first please." Charles waved his hands at her as he spoke. "Can we what?"

"Can we start over? I'm still angry with you but… I kinda miss talking to you. So can we just…"

"I'd like that." He mashed his lips together. Lexi knew he did that when he was seriously considering something or when he had an idea. "Lexi I promise to never invade your privacy again. And I promise you can trust me with any secret you may have. I know you're protecting someone. If you'd let me, I can help you."

"I don't need help with that. As long as no one knows where he is, no one can touch him." She traced the logo of the cola on the can with her fingertip. "I know how protective you are of your students. You'd never let anything touch them. That's how protective I am of him."

"Can you tell me his power?" Charles threw out the question.

"He's precognitive. When he found me it was because he had a vision of where I would be at a certain time. He doesn't control the visions, but he mostly only sees the futures of people around him, or that are close to him."

"Like family and friends?" Charles leaned in and put his hand on her arm.

"Yeah."

"Is this Colin we are talking about?" She nodded. "Is he family?" She nodded again.

"He's my son." She finally looked at him. "He lives with his adoptive family. I had no idea of what he could do until he was eight. He found me at a park in New York. I used to go there to watch the water shows at the big fountains they have there. His family was on a vacation and he managed to get them to go to the park. He walked right up to me and told me who he was. And that was when he gave me this." She held up the wrist with the macaroni bracelet. "He knew purple was my favorite color. He knew I would get a job in Denver soon after that. And he knew I would end up back in New York." She sniffed and looked away. "His adoptive parents don't know anything. If people knew about him… If they found out what he can do. Can you imagine what would happen?"

"Yes, he would be in a lot of danger." Charles gently squeezed her arm. She looked at him and he could see her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Do you know where he lives?"

"I only know his full name and the city. Even with that it would be easy for the wrong person to find him. So you can imagine my relief when I found out you couldn't read me. If you can't, no one else should be able to, right?"

"I believe that's true. But we should be careful either way. There is another telepath that I know of who would be happy to get her hands on a precognitive." He sighed. "How old is he now?"

"He just turned fourteen." She smiled. It was the warm smile that Chares loved seeing. Knowing now that it was her son she was thinking of, and not some long lost lover, made Charles love the smile even more.

"We could bring him here to the school." She looked at him and the smile vanished. "We could protect him here."

"I don't want that. He has a good life where he is. I can't take that from him."

"I understand." He knew she wanted to drop the subject. Her body twitched uncomfortably and she took a long drink from the cola can as if she was just trying to distract herself. Not being able to read her mind had made Charles watch her body language more. He had gotten pretty good at reading her moods. But he needed to say one more thing before they closed the door on this. "Thank you for telling me. For trusting me with this." He took her hand and kissed it. He let go and moved closer so that he was right beside her, just barely touching her leg with his.

"I've never trusted anyone. But it felt so good talking about him finally. A mom should be able to brag right?" Charles nodded. She moved in her chair to face him. They both found themselves leaning into each other. Lexi wanted to kiss him and had no idea if he would kiss back. She closed her eyes, scared of what might happen if this was a mistake. But then she felt his lips touch her. It was so soft she wasn't sure it had even happened. Her eyes fluttered open. He looked as dazed as she felt.

"Lexi, I…" His breath was hot on her cheek. Before she lost her will, she leaned in again and kissed him more confidently this time. He pushed back with his lips, matching the kiss. His hands found her face and caressed her cheeks. She thought she would fall over if she hadn't already been sitting. He pulled away and his hands slid to her neck. "I've wanted to do that for a long time." He said almost breathless.

"So have I." She seemed almost embarrassed by her admission. Charles smirked slightly.

"Want to do it again?" He asked brushing his lips against her ear.

"Yes." He kissed her cheek, then her nose, and finally his lips were on hers' again. She pressed into the kiss boldly. Her lips parted and Charles took the invitation. She tasted of the berries from the wine and the sugar from cola. Charles found it wonderful. She ran her fingers through his thick hair and moaned as she let him take control. His fingers tickled her as he caressed her neck and throat. Her body convulsed causing her to almost bite down on Charles' lip. She pushed away from him. "Sorry, I… It's been a long time since I've…"

"It's alright." He sat back in his chair. She was blushing again and her eyes darted around like she was too embarrassed to look at him. "Please don't be embarrassed." He reached out and took her hand. "This isn't just a whim for me." She finally looked at him. "I care for you Lexi. I want to be with you." She slowly stood up and went to the window. She crossed her arms but not like she did when she was angry. It was almost like she was hugging herself. "I know this is new for you but…" She turned suddenly and faced him. "If you would give this a chance."

"I love you, Charles." It had been building up in her and came rushing out. She put her hand on her mouth like she was afraid to say more.

"I love you too." She looked away and he saw a tear roll down her cheek. "But you don't trust me, not completely." She started towards him.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how." She bent her knees and looked at him eye-level. He reached out and wiped away her tears. She put her hands in his lap and he pulled her up. She let him pull and tug at her until she was sitting in his lap. At first she was afraid the weight would hurt him but then she remembered he had no feeling in his legs. He wrapped his arms around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. Charles felt his chair start moving. He looked down to see her smiling.

"Are you doing this?" He chuckled in her ear.

"Yeah."

"Don't hurt yourself.'

"I've been practicing."

"Where are we going?" They had made it out into the hall.

"Well, the elevator first. I hadn't planned much beyond that."

"Your room is closer." He laughed when the chair moved faster.

Once inside her room Lexi slid off his lap. She stood there in the semi-darkness not quite sure what to do next. He wheeled himself over to her bed. Lexi felt very nervous suddenly. He turned his chair to face her and smiled. He kicked off his shoes and pulled his sweater off, letting it drop onto the floor. She slipped off her own shoes and moved towards him. When she got to the bed she pulled back the comforter. Using her powers she slowly pulled Charles out of his chair and set him gently on the bed. The use of her power caused her to lose her balance. She had to hold onto the bed as she walked to the other side.

"Are you alright?" Charles leaned towards her as she held onto the bed post. She nodded but he could tell she was still dizzy. Gripping the bed sheet she rolled herself onto the bed and right into Charles' arms.

"Nice catch." She said, her voice wavering slightly.

"Listen," He whispered into her ear. "I'm not expecting anything from you. To be truthful, I'm happy enough just holding you. I know you're nervous, but you don't need to be." He paused for a second and she snuggled closer to him. "Do you want me to stay?"

"Yes." She murmured close to his ear.

"Then I'll stay." He whispered back.

"I just… I'll be right back." She slipped out of the bed and went to her dresser. Charles heard a drawer open and shut. Then the light in the small bathroom went on and the door shut. He took the time to shed his button up shirt and pants. He thought about pulling off his white undershirt but he didn't want to make Lexi any more nervous than she already was.

When she came out of the bathroom she was wearing a long blue nightgown. She smiled and climbed back into the bed, cuddling close to him. He wrapped both arms around her when she laid her head in the crook of his shoulder. With her mind Lexi pulled the comforter up so that it wrapped around them. Tiny electro currents of pleasure swept through her when she felt Charles' fingers combing through her hair. She had let one arm lay across his stomach and started gently rubbing his side. Charles squirmed and jerked.

"Be careful, I'm ticklish there." His lips brushed her ear and sent a small shock through her. "And I think I just found where you're ticklish." He laughed quietly.

Lexi had no idea how long they had laid there in each other's arms. But when she opened her eyes again there was sunlight streaming in through the big window just opposite her bedroom door. She half expected to find Charles gone. They were after all living at a school where good examples needed to be set. But when she felt the warmth of his body against her she suddenly didn't care if anyone knew. What had Alex said? Even a blind man could see what was going on… That meant half the school probably already suspected they were sleeping together.

Lexi put the thought out of her mind before she brought her head up to face Charles. He was still sleeping. His head was slumped down towards hers and he was snoring so lightly that Lexi barely heard it. He looked like an angel with the sunlight hitting his pale face. She reached up and touched his cheek, almost needing to make sure he was real. His eyes came open almost immediately. At first he looked surprised. But then he blinked a few times and smiled down at her.

"Morning, love." He moved her hair out of her face.

"Good morning." She shifted in the bed and brought her head up to kiss him. Their lips connected sending tremors down Lexi's spine. She pulled back and for some reason her eyes shifted to the clock on the table behind Charles. Her eyes went wide.

"What's wrong?" Charles' forehead wrinkled with concern.

"It's almost noon. I've never slept that late." She sat up and threw the comforter off her. Instantly the cold air stung her skin and she fell back onto the bed shivering. "Burrr. It's freezing."

"Well, come back over here silly." Charles held his arms out. Lexi gratefully wrapped her body around him. She swung her leg over his and almost immediately jerked back away from him. "What?" Charles looked at her widened eyes with confusion. He choked back a laugh when he saw her blushing. She did it so often but he still found it hilarious.

"I thought…" She bit her lip and her eyes shifted down towards his legs. "I thought you were paralyzed."

"I am." What was she getting at?

"But I felt…" Then it dawned on him.

"Well, I hope I didn't offend you but it _is_ morning, so I can't really control that." Her blush deepened and she looked away from him. "And not _everything_ is paralyzed." She slapped her hand on her mouth to keep from laughing but the sound came out anyways. The snort-laugh that she hated passed through her lips before she could contain it. "What on earth was that?" Charles laughed and Lexi made the sound again through her hand.

"I can't help it! It's what happens when I laugh hard. It's like a snort but it's in my throat like a gargle. One of my friends in college called it my _snargle._" Charles laughed before he could stop himself. "Don't laugh at me!" Lexi smacked him playfully on the arm.

"I'm sorry, but that's just too funny." He laughed again causing her to laugh at herself too.

"I hate to break this up but…" She moved to get out of the bed. "I need to… You know, go." Charles continued laugh at her red face until she shut the bathroom door.

It was Thursday afternoon. Lexi was hunched over her lab table squinting into a microscope. She was having trouble getting the scope to focus. Maybe it was just that her eyes were so tired. She lifted her head away from the scope and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Hello love." She was so caught off guard by hearing Charles' voice that her body jerked forward suddenly. Her head smacked against the scope.

"Ah." Her hands flew to the left side of her forehead where the scope had hit her.

"Are you alright?" Charles was beside her in seconds.

"Owweee." Charles pulled her hands away from her face.

"Well, you're not bleeding. But is there a reason you've started banging your head on various objects? A new fun thing perhaps?"

"It's all your fault you know." Charles was still holding her hands.

"How is that?"

"You surprised me when you came in."

"I was actually in here for almost two minutes before I spoke." He smirked at her.

"I have a huge red mark on my head now don't I?"

"Yes. Well, not huge, but yes." He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Better?"

"No, not at all. Do it again." She said it completely straight faced. He smiled and kissed her again. "Nope, still not working." She shook her head still straight faced. He leaned in for a third time and she pushed him back and laughed. "You're horrible at first aid."

"And you my darling are horrible at keeping time." She cocked her head to the side and raised her eyebrows. "We were supposed to have lunch half an hour ago." Her head slumped down.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's quite alright. But we may want to get to the kitchen before the students eat everything."

"Okay." She backed her chair and stood. "But if anyone asks, I did _not_ smack my own head on a microscope. You'd think you'd have stopped giving me headaches by now." She smirked at him and pulled her hair into her face to cover the red mark she could feel throbbing just above her left temple.

"Your secret is safe with me love." She hit him on the shoulder before pushing his chair towards the door. In the hall on the way to the kitchen they ran into Alex.

"So, Professor, finally getting around to eating? Thought I might have to send out a search party. You two have been missing for so long." The innuendo in Alex's voice made Lexi blush and look away. Charles just laughed and Lexi slapped his shoulder again before continuing on to the kitchen.

"You shouldn't let the students talk to you like that." She said once Alex was out of earshot.

"Oh, for one Alex is an adult. Albeit he's not a very mature one, but still an adult. And I don't really care if everyone knows about us."

"Well, good because they all do know."

"Do you care?" They had entered the kitchen to find it empty. There were remnants of pasta still on the stove. Lexi dished out two bowls and set them on the table. Charles didn't press her for an answer right away. She fixed him a glass of wine and poured herself some milk. But when she took her time making some toast he got just a little impatient. "Lexi."

She faced him. He was using that serious voice again. It was the tone he used when one of his students was misbehaving. Lexi called it his teacher voice. It annoyed the hell out of her when he used it on her. But of course, she would never let him know that. She tried to look as innocent as possible as she set the toast on a plate and took her seat beside him.

"I'm just not used to it." She finally said looking down at her food.

"To what? Having someone care for you?"

"No, not that. Okay, well, yeah that too… But, I meant I'm not used to being talked about. I've never had a personal life interesting enough to be gossiped about."

"Does it bother you?" He took one of her hands and held it. That was something he did often, and another thing she had had to grow used to. Having her hand held felt so good. But again, it was something she had never told him. She didn't know why. Maybe it was because she just didn't want to sound as pathetic as she felt. "You've zoned out again dear." Her head came up. She tried to shake away the thoughts that bombarded her.

"Sorry. No it doesn't bother me. I just worry that it bothers you sometimes, but you just won't say it."

"You think I don't tell you things, because there are so many things you won't tell me." Her eyes widened.

"Are you sure you can't read my mind?" He smiled at her.

"Your face is easy enough to read." He reached out and ran a finger down her cheek. "I'll tell you what. I will admit something to you, if you admit something to me."

"Okay. You first." His playful tone washed away her anxiety.

"I love watching you blush. Sometimes I even try to make you do it on purpose." He smiled at her look of disbelief. "I also try to make you laugh so I can hear that adorable little noise you make." Her mouth fell open.

"I can't believe you… You are so not my favorite person anymore!" She held her fork up like she was going to poke him.

"Your turn. Tell me something you _think_ I don't already know."

"Okay." She considered this for a moment. Knowing Charles to be impatient, she took a few bites of her pasta to purposely drag out the time. She wanted her admission to be something good. Something that would stun him… "I want you to read me again when I fall asleep." This time he was the one staring in disbelief. She looked right into his eyes and he knew she was serious.

"Why?" He asked before he could stop himself.

"I want you to know about me. But there are just some things I would rather not relive consciously. And… don't ask me why, but I really want you to see what happened the day I met Colin." They sat there in silence for another minute before she reached out and touched his arm. "And I really love it when you hold my hand, or touch me anywhere for that matter." They both laughed and the tension fizzled away.

That night Lexi left the lab a lot earlier than usual. She rushed back to her room and took a long hot bath. She was trying to ease the tension built up inside her before spending another night with Charles in her bed. They had not shared a room since that first time. The hot water helped chase away most of the nervous twitches and tremors. But it did little to ease her mind about what Charles would find tonight. Why had she made that damn admission? Why had that been the first thing she blurted out? What the hell was wrong with her inner monologue all of the sudden? She knew she could back out of it. Charles would be understanding. He wouldn't dare press into her mind if she told him she didn't want him to.

A knock on the door caused her to nearly jump out of the tub. Water splashed onto the floor loudly.

"Lexi? Have you drowned or something?" Charles laughed as he spoke. Lexi scrambled out of the tub and pulled the stopper to let the water drain. How long had she been in there? She took a second to look at herself in the mirror. She had swept her hair up in a high bun to keep it from getting wet. Her skin was pink from the hot water.

"I'll be just a second." She called out. Thanking whatever had possessed her to bring her nightgown into the bathroom with her, she quickly dried herself off. Puling the white cotton nightgown over her head, she considered letting her hair down. But she really didn't want to have to brush it out. She took a deep breath and opened the door. The cold air from her room hit her and she suddenly felt very exposed. The thin cotton of the gown made it obvious she was not wearing a bra. Charles' eyes shifted slightly downward. "Trying to make me blush again?" She tried to sound playful.

"Just enjoying the view darling. I am still just a man you know." She smirked and turned off the bathroom light.

"Not much of a gentleman though, barging into someone's room in the middle of the night." She crossed her arms, still standing in the doorway.

"Well, when I didn't find you in your lab, or the kitchen, or the library, I came here. I knocked but you didn't answer. I cracked the door a bit and saw the bathroom light on. I waited for a while but you still didn't come out. I thought I should make sure you were still alive." Now he was smirking at her with his arms crossed.

"Sorry, I lost track of time."

"That happens a lot doesn't it?" He chuckled.

"Sorry." She rubbed the back of her neck. Charles had seen her do this when she thought she had done something wrong.

"It's alright. It doesn't bother me." He jumped in to reassure her. "Well, should we retire?" He nodded towards the bed. "Although I think this time you should get in the bed before you help me." She knew he wasn't trying to make fun of her.

When they had finally cuddled up under the comforter Lexi did her best to relax. Charles could feel how tense she was. He wrapped his arm around her and gently massaged her head. Her left arm was laying across his stomach. His other hand found hers and their fingers intertwined. Charles was so relaxed that he had to concentrate on staying awake. Finally her breathing became deeper and her body slackened against him. Charles closed his eyes.

He knew he would see the memory of Colin first. It would be at the very front of her mind. She was sitting on a bench at a park in front of a big fountain. Her old leather-bound journal was open in her lap. She had just finished writing something and looked up.

"Hello." Lexi jumped slightly at the sound of the little boy's voice. The pen she had been holding dropped to the ground. The boy picked it up and sat beside her. "My name's Colin." He smiled at her as he handed her the pen. He had his mother's green eyes and chocolate hair.

"Hi Colin. I'm Lexi." She smiled back at him.

"I know." Lexi cocked her head to the side in confusion. "I know who you are. I came to tell you who I am. I wanted you to know that I'm okay." She looked around them before turning back Colin.

"Where's your mom? I'll bet she's worried." Lexi was still clearly confused.

"You're my mom." The boy pointed at her chest as if to emphasize his statement. Lexi's eyes grew wide and she leaned back. "You gave birth to me in Kansas. But you gave me up for adoption because you wanted me to have a good life." Lexi's hand slowly went to her mouth. "I do have a good life. My adoptive parents are really nice." Colin reached out and took her left hand. "I made this for you." He pulled out the macaroni bracelet and tied it to her wrist. "It's purple cause that's your favorite."

"How…" She finally found her voice. "How did you know my favorite color?" Tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"I know all about you. I can see the future. That's how I knew you would be here today. When you graduate you'll go to Denver. But you won't like it much, so you come back here to work."

"You can see the future?" She touched his head tenderly.

"Yes. I can see days, or weeks, sometimes years into the future. But I only see people I'm around a lot. And I see you all the time." He leaned into her and they hugged. Lexi pulled back but didn't let him go.

"Do you live in New York?" Her voice was hopeful.

"No. I live in Boston. We're just on vacation. I told my parents I wanted to see the park. I have to go find them soon." He looked away for a second.

"Will I ever see you again?" Her voice cracked with sadness.

"Not for a long time. But when you come back here to work, you'll meet someone who's like us. And he'll help you find me."

"Like us?"

"A mutant like us." Colin smiled big. "He's gonna be very important to you."

"What do you mean?" She grinned at his mischievous expression.

"You'll find out." He stood up. "I gotta go now. But I'm glad I got to see you." She stood up and hugged him tightly. "I love you Mom." She leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

"I love you too." She bent down to one knee. "What's your full name?" She put one hand on his cheek.

"Colin Andrew McKinney." More tears were finding their way down her cheeks. "Don't be sad. I promise we will be together again. But I do have to go."

"Wait." Lexi turned and began digging in her bag. She pulled out her keychain and took one of the trinkets off it. It was a gold four-leaf clover about the size of a quarter. "Your grandpa gave me this for luck when I started college. I want you to have it." He looked at it for a second before tucking it into his pocket. The memory faded as Colin walked away.

Charles opened his eyes and he was back in Lexi's room with Lexi still curled up beside him. He wiped away the tears on his face. Being in Lexi's head and feeling what she felt was heartbreaking. It took him a few more minutes before he could bring himself to touch her again. He knew as soon as he did the memories would come rushing at him. It was as if she was somehow willing her story to be told. And he was the only one with the power to see it.

Closing his eyes, he wished for a good memory. It was harder to find than he thought. Sifting through memories of abuse from her mother he found very few precious moments from Lexi's childhood. Things got better when Lexi left for her grandparents home. But Lexi's ability to trust had been badly damaged. That caused her to shy away from everyone and be dubbed an outcast by her peers. She never told her grandparents about her abilities. Her fear of rejection kept her silent.

The happy memories didn't come until she went to college and finally started making friends. Charles saw the memory of Lexi's closest friend, a girl called Amber. They were roommates Lexi's freshman and sophomore year This was the girl who had named Lexi's laugh a snargle. She was also the only person Lexi told about having a son, until now. Charles could see that she and Amber were still very close. Amber had married a military man and traveled a lot but she and Lexi still kept in touch.

Then the memories of himself and Lexi came into focus. He felt her mistrust and suspicion of him. Of course, now it made more sense. Then after he admitted to being a telepath he felt her anger and fear. But the memory that made him finally pull away was the night he had told her he loved her. The tidal wave of emotions that hit Charles was more than he could bear. He was so exhausted that as soon as he pulled away from her mind, he fell straight to sleep.

The next morning Lexi slept in late again and had to rush out of bed to get ready for the chemistry class she taught. She was giving the small class their end of the chapter quiz. Charles laughed at her while she buzzed around the room throwing her clothes on and brushing her hair. In the middle of rushing around she tossed Charles his clothes and shoes. She was so preoccupied with gathering her things that she never noticed Charles pull himself off the bed and into his chair. When she turned around to help him, she found him sitting calmly, perfectly put together. She shot him a mock glare and crossed the room to leave.

"No goodbye kiss?" She turned at the door and raised her eyebrows.

"What makes you think you deserve one?" She asked crossing her arms. He considered this for a second.

"I'm adorable?" He raised his shoulders slightly and let them drop.

"I can't argue with that." She quickly went to him and kissed the top of his head.

"That's it?" He asked. She was already half way to the door.

"Yes… You have an adorable head." She laughed and opened the door.

"I'll get you back for this!" He called just before the door shut.

Later that afternoon Charles found Lexi in the library. Most of the students were taking advantage of the slightly warmer weather outside. Charles had found himself with a free afternoon and decided to do some reading in the library. He was surprised when he entered the spacious room and saw Lexi sitting in one of the Queen Ann style chairs, nose buried in an ancient looking book. She had her back to him. He stopped and watched her. When her attention was focused on one specific thing, she was incredibly oblivious to all other surroundings. Charles knew this was not exactly a good thing, but he found it awfully cute when he could surprise her.

He pushed himself towards her making no noise as he went. He came up right behind her left shoulder. He was just about to reach out and tap her arm…

"I know you're there Charles." She spoke without looking up. Charles jumped in surprise and snapped his hand back. "Oddly enough, being around someone who enjoys scaring the life out of me has heightened my awareness." She saved her place in the book he now recognized as 'The Complete Works of Shakespeare,' and set it on the table beside her. He wheeled his chair around until he was facing her. "So what do I owe the honor of this failed sneak attack?"

"I originally came in here to find something to read. Then I found you." He smiled happily.

"Haven't you already read me?" She smiled back, making him laugh. She stood up and stepped behind his chair. Charles felt her start pushing his chair and leaned his head all the way back so he could see her face.

"Where are we going?"

"I dunno. You know I don't plan these things out very far." He laughed again and let his head drop. They ended up outside the kitchen near the rose garden. They could hear shouting from the other end of the yard where the basketball court had just been built. Lexi stopped when she reached a wooden bench and placed his chair where she would be facing him when she sat down. "It's nice out today. We shouldn't be shut up in a library." She looked at him oddly just then. He got the impression she was beating around the bush about something.

"Do you want to talk about last night?" He tried to make his voice sound light.

"You know Colin saw you…" Charles nodded. It was obvious that when Colin had said, "another mutant like us will help you find me," he was referring to Charles. "He said you would be important to me." Charles nodded again, wondering where she was going with this. "You _are_ important to me."

"_You _are important to _me._ You must know that."

"I just don't know if I _want_ you to find Colin. I want him away from all this. He doesn't have to be a part of it." Charles reached out and took her hands.

"Lexi, he already is. But I will respect your wishes." Lexi suddenly ripped her hands away from him. His eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Stop!" She shouted. Her hands went flying to the sides of her head.

"Stop what?" His voice full of confusion.

"Aaahh! Stop trying to read me! You know it hurts! Ahh!" She bent forward, nearly falling off the bench. He reached out to her. "Please, stop!" She cried out in pain again.

"Lexi, I'm not doing this. It's not me!" He tried to lift her head up but she screamed as soon as he touched her.

"I can feel it! Charles, I can feel you!" Howling in pain she doubled over hitting the soft grass beneath her.

"I'm not doing this!" In his mind Charles called Alex and Sean for help. It was then that he heard laughter inside his head. He had heard this laugh before. _Emma stop! You're hurting her! _He shouted with his mind.

_Sorry sugar, I have orders._

Lexi was beyond screaming. The pain had become to severe that she her mind was going into shock_. _Charles knew that the only way to alleviate the pain was to put her to sleep. But then Emma Frost, and whoever she was working for, would get all the information they wanted.

Alex and Sean had finally reached them. Charles had them carry Lexi down to Hank's lab. Hank was ready when they got there. Charles had telepathically explained what was going on. They set Lexi onto one of the infirmary beds at the far end of the lab. Hank was readying a needle with a sedative.

"Lexi." The sound of Charles saying her name made her face him. Her eyes were wide and bloodshot. "We have to sedate you. It's the only way to make the pain stop." The words rushed out of his mouth. Her head began to shake left to right. Her mouth formed the word 'no' several times but no sound came out. "I'm sorry, we have to. I don't know what they want but they won't stop till they break in. If this goes on, you could go into shock. If that happens, I don't know what damage might be done." Her head shook more wildly and a low moan escaped her mouth. "I know you're worried, but I _won't_ lose you." He knew he was being selfish but he didn't care. "I'll find Colin. I'll bring him here to safety." Tears suddenly came gushing down her cheeks. Hank pushed the needle into her arm. "I'll keep you both safe. I promise." Her eyes closed.

Charles kept his promise to Lexi. Using Cerebro had helped him pinpoint Colin's exact location. Charles, Hank, and Alex had gone in Hank's new jet to Boston. Hank stayed behind with the jet while Charles and Alex found Colin's house. Charles only felt a little guilty about using his abilities to convince Colin's parents to let him leave with two strangers to go to a "special school." But Colin had made his thoughts loud and clear, telling Charles that he understood what was going on.

Back at the school Colin went straight to Hank's lab where his mother was still sedated. It had been almost twenty-four hours since Emma Frost had tried to invade her mind. Charles didn't bother asking how he knew the layout of the entire mansion. Colin had probably known for a long time that he would be coming here. When they finally reached the lab, Colin touched his mother's face. Charles went to the other side of the small bed. He reached up and held her hand. Her mind was calm. But he could feel that Emma had been there.

Charles left the lab and went into the library. He needed a quiet place where no one else's thoughts would interrupt him. He was ready to do something he promised himself he never would. Trying to contact Erik would be pointless. But there was another mind he knew well enough to contact over any distance. Charles knew this was risky. But he had waited long enough

_Raven? Raven can you hear me?_

_What do you want Charles?_

_Why? Why did Emma Frost try to invade Alexandra Jance's mind? What does she want?_

_Charles you know I can't be talking to you._

_Please, Raven… I love her. _Charles could feel Raven's inner turmoil. She felt loyal to both him and Erik. _At least tell me why?_

_Erik had Emma visit the lab where Hank used to work. We heard of a doctor who was researching mutant DNA. Eric wanted to know what she knew. Once we found out she was with you, Emma tried to read her mind. There was a shield, but as soon as you had her sedated…_

_Erik found more than he bargained for._

_Yeah. We know about her son. Erik is willing to leave him alone for now. _

_He is? _The surprise in his voice made Raven almost laugh.

_Because he knows how you feel about her. Believe it or not, he __**does**__ still respect your friendship. And sorry about the pain that Emma caused. Erik was pretty pissed that Emma forgot to mention that particular side affect until after she had read her whole mind. _

_Thank you, Raven. I know this isn't easy._

_Goodbye, Charles. And try not to screw things up with this one. I kinda like her._

Charles laughed mentally and then broke contact. He heard Hank calling him in his mind and headed back to the lab. When he got to the door it was open. He stopped just outside the doorway. Lexi was awake and sitting up. Colin whispered mentally that he had explained to Lexi that another telepath had tried to read her. Lexi's eyes connected with his for a second and she looked down bashfully. For once he did not find her blushing reason to laugh.

Hank crossed the room towards the door and beckoned Charles over to him. Casting one more glance at Lexi, Charles reluctantly joined Hank in the corner near the door.

"She wants to go back to her room and rest." Hank spoke quietly. Charles could hear Colin talking to Lexi, but couldn't make out what he was saying.

"How is she?" Charles unconsciously squeezed his fists shut.

"Physically she's fine. She's not experiencing anymore pain. Well, she says she's not. But I think being under so long may have some side affects." Charles looked at him sharply. "Nothing bad, she just might feel dizzy for a while." Hank jumped in quickly. "Colin's going to take her back to her room." Hank hesitated for a second and looked down. "I think they just want to be alone and talk for a while."

Without a word Charles left the lab. When he was finally in the hall he looked back through the doorway. Lexi was staring at him curiously, as if asking where he was going. He just smiled and pushed himself away.


End file.
